January 25, 201511 yr So I need to make a hand shaped hand iron for my mom for a gag gift for Christmas next year and was wonder what the best way to tackle the project would be. I know I have a lot of work to do until then but I want to know the basic idea of where to start and what skills to work on now to build up to the project.
January 25, 201511 yr Are you talking about a hand shaped Sad Iron? The original iron for clothing? Irons that were heated on a stove? Or something else?
January 25, 201511 yr Author yes, the ones you would use for like ironing clothes. doesnt have to be anything super fancy.
January 25, 201511 yr While not really a blacksmithing project, the 1st thing that comes to my mind is simply cutting the hand out of steel plate with a plasma cutter or OA torch. Then add a forged handle, possibly riveting it on. You could also take teh cut shape and then use the forge to round the edges, add wrinkles and other details. For a gag gift 1/4" to 1/2" plate would work and if push came to shove, that could be cut with a jig saw if need be.
January 25, 201511 yr If you want to go more authentic, and have the tools and skill, you could make a wood pattern for the base in the shape you want. Take it to Cattail Foundry in Lancaster County, and get one cast. Drill and tap threads into the iron, and make a handle to fit. Every sad iron I have ever seen were cast iron.
January 25, 201511 yr Mr. Powers, you sir, are a revolutionary thinker. I wish you were a politician. The world would be a brighter place.
January 25, 201511 yr Mr. Powers, you sir, are a revolutionary thinker. I wish you were a politician. The world would be a brighter place. Wouldn't that bring new meaning to Presidential Powers? Okay, I gotta stop now or I'll get completely carried away. Frosty he Lucky.
January 25, 201511 yr A pretty hard project from scratch. I would visit the scrap dealer and find a heavy block of mild and then get someone with a plasma cutter or a water cutter to shape the pointy end. The artistry on your part will be to forge a neat decorative handle. Perhaps some fancy scroll work or fullering.We have a vast array of sad irons in our museum and many have carefully crafted handles.And what a nice idea for your Mum. She will treasure it!
January 25, 201511 yr I have an elderly Aunt who's collected Sad Irons for over 60 years. They're sitting all over Her house, ... and while I've never paid them much attention, ... they seen to come in 2 basic styles. The traditional shaped, 1 piece, cast iron variety, ... and the 2 piece, "football" or "pointed oval" shape, that has a detachable wooden handle. I mention the 2nd type, because the "iron" portion of that type, wouldn't be a difficult thing to make.It's basically a 1.5" thick, by 6" long, by 2.5" wide, chunk of flat bar, ... with the ends formed into a point, ... and a Handle attached in whatever fashion you favor. No reason you couldn't make that sort of thing in the "traditional" shape, as well.I'm sure a GOOGLE search will yield a ton of pictures. .
January 25, 201511 yr Author For what everyone is saying getting it cast is the best idea. T. Powers, that would be a great idea to have it as a bacon press but I don't like my bacon super crispy, I will cook it the old fashioned way.
January 25, 201511 yr MarcyP Do you know about Cattail Foundry? They will cast what ever pattern you can get to them, and rather inexpensively. And it is not too far from you. PM for more details.
January 25, 201511 yr actually on my scrap pile is a torch cut hand out of 1/4"? stock. Fairly large. I found it at the scrapyard and my idea was to forge it out a bit and start dishing it for a 3D look and use it as a Halloween decoration coming out of the ground. My regret is that it's not 6 fingered... As for running for office---you should meet my cousins Powers of Darkness and Powers of Evil... And I agree bacon should be chewy! (and chocolate chip cookies crunchy)
January 25, 201511 yr And I agree bacon should be chewy! (and chocolate chip cookies crunchy) What ?? Crunchy chocolate chips? That is crazy! I bet you want nuts in there as well. The have to be gooey and melty to be any good at all.
January 26, 201511 yr pecans of course and original toll house recipe. the hand iron sounds like a Dada project while my hand forged hand would be more Surrealist
January 26, 201511 yr All cookies should be crunchy at the rim and then chewy in the middle. Anything else is an abomination! ;-)
February 8, 201511 yr Trace you hand out on a piece of 1/4 to 1/2 steel, fingers touching.. then cut it out and clean up with a grinder, then attach a cool forged handle.. momma will dig it more cause it's your hand :D E-
February 8, 201511 yr All cookies should be crunchy at the rim and then chewy in the middle. Anything else is an abomination! ;-) Yes, ... exactly, ... with Walnuts. :D .
October 7, 201510 yr Wouldn't that bring new meaning to Presidential Powers? Okay, I gotta stop now or I'll get completely carried away. Frosty he Lucky.Mr. Powers, you sir, are a revolutionary thinker. I wish you were a politician. The world would be a brighter place.If someone treated him really badly, that would be an abuse of Executive Powers.
October 7, 201510 yr I DO hope you'll post pics when you finish, this sounds fun, I'd love to see it in process and finished.
October 7, 201510 yr One more thought about homemade cookies ..... When other Shortenings began to replace Lard, ... they just haven't been the same. .
October 7, 201510 yr On 10/7/2015 at 11:14 AM, SmoothBore said: One more thought about homemade cookies ..... When other Shortenings began to replace Lard, ... they just haven't been the same.. I've made chocolate chip cookies with bacon grease. Those were some xxxx good cookies.
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